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Dashin Swinger Saves Her Best For Last With Fastest Time In Delta's Louisiana Lassie Futurity Trials


Dashin Swinger, outside, ran down Im La Leaving in the final trial to get the fastest qualifying time for the $298,012 Louisiana Lassie Futurity at Delta Downs.

© Coady Photography

VINTON, LA—APRIL 29, 2016—Delta Downs hosted an expanded program on Friday night to accommodate 14 qualifying trials for this year’s Louisiana Lassie Futurity. The restricted Grade 2 race for Louisiana-bred fillies will take place May 20 and feature a record purse amount of $298,012.

Fans who stuck it out until the end were treated to the top performance of the program in the nightcap as Jesus Cervantes and Antonia Fierro’s Dashin Swinger roared down the outside of the track to claim victory while recording the fastest 330-yard clocking of the night at :17.002 seconds. That time was achieved over a fast track, into a 15 mph crosswind, and it earned the winner a speed index of 83.

The win by Dashin Swinger came in her career debut with jockey Juan Marquez in the saddle. The Erasmo Hernandez trainee’s only other experience came in a non-pari-mutuel training race on April 7 at Delta Downs which she also won.

Each of the Lassie Futurity trials carried a purse of $15,000 with the winner’s taking home $9,000. The winner of the final will earn a massive paycheck of $149,006.

Dashin Swinger is a sorrel filly by Swingin Jess, out of the First Down Dash mare Dashin in My Dreams. Bred in Louisiana by Triple M Farms LLC, Cervantes and Fierro purchased the filly for $6,500 at the LQHBA Yearling Sale last August.

Fast Dashin Dee, a daughter of leading sire Heza Fast Dash, posted a three-quarter length win in the seventh race for owner Ten For Ten LLC and trainer Michael Taylor. Ridden by jockey Joe Badilla, the bay filly earned the second fastest qualifying time of :17.008 seconds.

Out of the First Down Dash mare, Jump Down First, Fast Dashin Dee brought $25,000 a the LQHBA Yearling Sale. Jerry Lee Jones is the breeder.

Taylor and Badilla teamed to win four of the 14 trials Friday night. They also qualified the 4th fastest finalist, Louisiana Jewels for owner Harlow Stables, LLC. Bred by Jerry West, the Jess Louisiana Blue daughter defeated Sheza Dashin First by three-quarters of a length in trail 4.

A $42,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate, Louisiana Jewel is out of the First Down Jewel mare Jewels Fortune.

Trainer Adrian Huitron saddled the third fastest qualifier, Jess A Little Star for owner Juan Bazaldua. Coming off a fourth place effort in the $273,054 Mardi Gras Futurity(RG2) last March, the bay filly won the first trial in a time of :17.011.

Bred by J & B Rentals, Inc., the daughter of Jess An Idea is out Little Eye Opener, by Mr Eye Opener. She has compiled a (3) 2-0-0 record and earned $31,714 this season.

Trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. was the only other trainer with multiple qualifiers getting 6th qualifier Tdz Wave To Me Bab for owner/breeder Tony Doughtie and 9th qualifier Coronas Prize Dolly for the partnership of Jason Richards, Michael Leblanc and former leading Quarter Horse jockey Tami (Purcell) Burkland.

Coronas Leaving You led all sires with three qualifiers and Heza Fast Dash got two into the final gate.

This year’s Lassie Futurity field is one of the most competitive in track history as only 95/100ths of a second separate all 10 finalists.

CLICK HERE for the complete list of Lassie Futurity finalists, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

Delta Downs will conduct another 14-race program to close out its second week of racing on Saturday night. There will be a special early post time of 5 pm CT as the track will host qualifying trials for this year’s $281,007 Louisiana Laddie Futurity, which will take place on Saturday, May 21.

For more information about the upcoming season visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com or on the Facebook page, ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

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Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.


Courtesy Ses